George Lucas’ Star Wars franchise is not just a series of films and TV series but a giant sandbox of a universe that has so many intriguing characters and storylines that almost everyone can relate to it. The series blends several genres into its stories, there‘s a little bit of everything for everyone. Moreover, the lore of The Jedis vs The Sithlords in a faraway galactic empire is what has appealed to the franchise’s fans the most.
Even though the recent films have not performed well at the box office, the TV Series has captivated the fans. As a result, the franchise is focusing more on its TV series production and came up with a new series, The Acolyte. However, its creator had some strong words to share as she addressed the toxic fan base of the sci-fi franchise.
Leslye Headland Has Some Words For The Toxic Star Wars Fans
George Lucas’ Star Wars film franchise has become a cultural phenomenon due to its unique storytelling and iconic characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Yoda, Darth Vader, and many more in a richly detailed universe. Moreover, the use of lightsabers and blasters with unique sound effects has allowed the franchise to cement its place in pop culture.
Since the sci-fi film franchise has featured a lot of male characters from the beginning, certain fans are not delighted as they have been harassing the women in the roles. The newest series, The Acolyte, is no exception as these so-called fans target the actresses.
Leslye Headland, the creator of the prequel series, has opened up how the trolls are brutally attacking the franchise. As per reports from The New York Times, some trolls of the series have nicknamed Headland’s series “The Wokelyte” on the series’ trailer.
The news outlet reported that they conducted a brief telephonic interview with Kathleen Kennedy, the President of Lucasfilms, has stated how Leslye Headland has limited her exposure to the Star Wars community because she wants to block the trolls, who pick on the women using derogatory terms. She said,
As a fan myself, I know how frustrating some ‘Star Wars’ storytelling in the past has been. I’ve felt it myself. I stand by my empathy for ‘Star Wars’ fans. But I want to be clear. Anyone who engages in bigotry, racism or hate speech … I don’t consider a fan.
Not being happy with a storyline is obvious for the fans of the Star Wars franchise because the story might not have been presented well. As a result, the project/s has not resonated well with the fans of the franchise. However, pushing back the franchise to Stage 1 is unacceptable.
Kathleen Kenndy Explains Why Working In A Giant Franchise Can Be “Terrifying”
In the same phone call interview, Kennedy explained that the idea of storytelling needs to be “representative of all people.” Sadly, creating such a giant franchise in this age has its own drawbacks due to its male-dominated fanbase.
She said,
My belief is that storytelling does need to be representative of all people. That’s an easy decision for me. Operating within these giant franchises now, with social media and the level of expectation — it’s terrifying.
She added,
I think Leslye has struggled a little bit with it. I think a lot of the women who step into ‘Star Wars’ struggle with this a bit more. Because of the fan base being so male dominated, they sometimes get attacked in ways that can be quite personal.
Indeed, working with age-old franchises can be a “terrifying” job because the fans would not forgive if the creators ruin their favorite franchise. However, Headland decided to create the TV series that takes place from the beginning of the Star Wars timeline to avoid any already-established storylines in the franchise.
Nevertheless, judging from what the trailer has showcased, the show looks quite promising and entertaining to watch.
The Acolyte will release on 4 June 2024 on Disney+.
